SH 221 

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

HUGH M. SMITH, Commission** 



SURVEY OF THE FISHING GROUNDS ON THE 

COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON 

IN 1915 



By Edward C Johnston 

U, S* Bureau of Fisheries 



APPENDIX VI TO THE REPORT OF THE U. S. COMMISSIONER 
OF FISHERIES FOR 1915 




Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 835 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1916 



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

S BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

HUGH M. SMITH, Commissioner 



SURVEY OF THE FISHING GROUNDS ON THE 

COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON 

IN 1915 



By Edward C. Johnston 

U. S. Bureau of Fisheries 



APPENDIX VI TO THE REPORT OF THE U. S. COMMISSIONER 
OF FISHERIES FOR 1915 




Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 835 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1916 



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SURVEY OF THE FISHING GROUNDS ON THE COASTS 
OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON IN 1915 



By Edward C. Johnston 



Appendix VI to the Report of the U. S. Commissioner 
of Fisheries for 1 91 5 



CONTENTS 



I'age. 

Introduction 5 

R6sum6 of the previous investigations 6 

The investigation of 1915 8 

Character and topography of the bottom 9 

Flattery section 10 

Grays Harbor section 11 

Columbia River section 12 

Tillamook section 13 

Newport section 14 

Discussion of the sets 15 

Yield of the banks 17 

Summary 20 

Explanation of charts 20 

3 



SURVEY OF THE FISHING GROUNDS ON THE COASTS OF 
WASHINGTON AND OREGON IN 1915. 



By Edward C. Johnston. 



INTRODUCTION. 

For many years rumors have been current among the fishermen of 
Seattle that there exist, 200 or 300 miles off the Washington coast, 
banks or shoal waters from which large schools of halibut come every 
spring. The existence of such banks is apparently the most plausible 
explanation of the fact that large schools of first-class halibut very 
often arrive on the western edge of Flattery Bank, remain for a 
short time, and then disappear. These schools do not appear on 
the eastern side of the bank, and halibut are seldom found to be 
plentiful along the coast of Vancouver Island. Upon the banks off 
the Columbia River large catches of fine halibut were made in May, 
1915, but later the proportion of mushy fish became so large that 
fishing was discontinued. 

It is believed that halibut are never notably plentiful south of the 
Columbia River, and it would therefore appear that these schools of 
halibut found on the banks off Washington and Oregon must come 
from the west or northwest. 

The belief that such banks exist has been supported from time to 
time by vessels which have reported discolored water or compara- 
tively shallow soundings. Such reports have located the supposed 
banks anywhere between 60 and 200 or 300 miles offshore and between 
the latitudes of Cape Scott, the northern end of Vancouver Island, 
and the Columbia River. 

In the spring of 1915 several small patches of good halibut bottom 
were discovered by fishermen off the mouth of the Columbia River. 
The Bureau of Fisheries steamer Albatross was therefore detailed 
during the months of July, August, and September, 1915, to investi- 
gate the existence of fishing banks offshore, and to locate the new 
fishing grounds off the Columbia River, as well as in the region 
between the Columbia River and Flattery Bank. 

The investigation was a continuation of the work started in 1914, 
and includes: (a) Soundings made on July 9 off the Columbia River; 
(6) a sounding and fishing trip, July 19 to 28, covering the region 
between Grays Harbor and Flattery Bank and including four fishing 

5 



6 SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 

t rials; (c) a sounding trip August 9 to 19, over a strip 60 miles wide and 
approximately 300 miles long west of Cape Flattery; (d) a sounding 
trip September 2 to 11-, extending from Grays Harbor south to 
Cascade Head. No fishing trials were made on the second and third 
trips. 

Credit is given to the commanding officer of the steamer Albatross, 
Lieut. Commander J. J. Hannigan, United States Navy, and to the 
officers under him for their willing and efficient cooperation during 
the investigation. The expert knowledge and advice of Mr. Edward 
Driscoll, hi charge of the fishing operations, contributed largely to 
the success of the work. The fishermen of Seattle have contributed 
much in the way of advice and information, and the files of The Pacific 
Fisherman have supplied many items of valuable information. 

RESUME OF PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS. 

Since the year 1885 various desultory fishing trials have been made 
off the Washington and Oregon coasts. Early in that year the Port- 
land Deep Sea Fish Co., of Portland, Oreg., sent out a small schooner 
equipped with a 40-foot beam trawl. In 18S7 another trial was made, 
and although flounders, soles, red rock cod, and a very few halibut 
were taken by both of these vessels, the trips were not successful. 

In 1888-1890 the steamer Albatross carried on an investigation off 
the coast from Cape Flattery southward, and found four banks, as 
follows : 

1. Flattery Bank, 1,100 square miles, least depth 27 fathoms, off 
Cape Flattery. 

2. Willapa Bank, 110 square miles, least depth 42 fathoms, 23 
miles W. by S. (magnetic) from Toke Point Light, Willapa Bay. 

3. Yaquina Bank, 40 square miles, least depth 42 fathoms, 19 
miles SSW. \ W. (magnetic) from Yaquina Head. 

4. Heceta Bank, 300 square miles, least depth 41 fathoms, 35 
miles SW. ^ W. from Heceta Head. 

In this work but f eAV halibut were taken, several species of rock cod 
were found to be generally distributed, and flounders and cultus cod 
were abundant on all the banks. 

During the summer of 1914 the United States Bureau of Fisheries 
conducted an investigation of the fishing grounds off the coast of 
Washington and Oregon. The greater part of this work was confined 
to the region between Heceta Bank and the Columbia River, although 
some time was given to the sections off Grays Harbor and Coos Bay. 
In all, 38 sets were made for halibut with varying success, resulting 
in the conclusion that if halibut were to be found off the Oregon 
const in paying quantities, they would occur as a seasonal run when 

«■ Summary of the fishing investigations conducted in the North Pacific Ocean, by Richard Rathbun. 
Bullel in of the U. S. Fish Commission, vol. xn, 1S92, p. 127-205. 



COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OEEGON. 7 

they came inshore to feed. It was apparent that there were no 
banks of sufficient size nor of a character to hold the fish the year 
around. 

As a result of these investigations, many vessels of the Seattle 
halibut fleet made trips to the Newport Bank and obtained excellent 
catches. During the period from May 10, 1914, to September 15 
of the same year 853,300 pounds of halibut were caught. a This 
total does not include several fares about which no definite informa- 
tion could be secured. 

The following comparison of the yield of fish on the Newport and 
the Alaska Banks is taken from the report of the investigations 
of 1914: b 

In August, 1914, the average schooner trip (inclusive of mushy fish) from Oregon 
was 42,800 pounds, 3,000 pounds less than the average schooner fare landed at Seattle 
during the same month. Compared with the average trip for the same month of the 
previous year, the Oregon catch was about 100 pounds greater. 

In September the average trip from the Newport Bank exceeded by over 15,000 
pounds the average of all schooner trips landed in Seattle in September of either 
year. The average catch of sound fish alone from off Newport during this month com- 
pares favorably with the average Seattle fare including mushy fish, being 34,667 as 
against 38,343 pounds at Seattle in 1914, and 38,657 pounds in 1913. The Seattle 
averages are based on 38 trips in 1913 and 70 in 1914, whereas the Newport data in- 
clude but 6 trips. 

To all appearances, within the fishing area off Newport, halibut are as plentiful, 
at least in August, and especially in September, as on the various northern banks 
fished by the Seattle schooners. It may be said that with the great number of north- 
ward trips there is greater possibility for making poor ones; but a few of these would 
not materially reduce the Seattle average, based on so many trips, whereas a few 
from Newport would have reduced that average to an insignificant quantity. 

Flounders, sole, red rockfish, black cod, and dogfish, although not 
marketed extensively, were found to be present on this part of the 
Pacific coast in considerable quantities. 

The summarization of the results of the investigations of 1914 is 
quoted verbatim: c 

The investigation developed the existence of a nice run of halibut during a period 
of at least two months on a bank having an area of approximately 250 square miles, 
off Newport, Oreg. The run attained its maximum in August and September, but 
fish were present in June and July. A profitable fishery probably could be conducted 
at that time, and at certain places might possibly be engaged in as early as the latter 
part of April. Irrespective of the abundance of fish, however, the weather conditions 
and lack of shelter will restrict fishing to the period from April to September. In 
1914 this run yielded commercial catches totaling over 850,000 pounds of halibut 
in 21 trips, for which $23,646.25 was received by the fishermen. Average trips of 
40,000 pounds were caught in four days or less, the fish averaging 27 pounds in weight. 

<» Survey of the fishing grounds on the coasts of Washington and Oregon in 1914. Bureau of Fisheries 
Document no. 817, p. 29. 
6 Idem, p. 23. 
c Idem, p. 27. 

46794°— 16 2 



8 SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 

Mushy fish occur to the extent of 30 to 40 per cent of the total catch, but in view 
of certain returns from Alaska during the same year (1914) this proportion does not 
seem greater than on other Pacific coast grounds. 

Halibut may be expected in limited quantities off Coos Bay, on a considerably 
smaller and less developed patch of bottom, and possibly off Grays Harbor at some 
season of the year, as a good piece of bottom was located in that vicinity, although 
not a halibut was caught thereon. With respect to halibut and halibut bottom, 
the section of the coast lying off Tillamook seems to be the least favorable. 

On the other hand, throughout practically the entire reach of the Oregon coast, 
there seems to be an abundance of the smaller flatfishes, some of which are food fishes 
of great excellence. The red rock cod, and doubtless black cod, occur in great 
abundance. Dogfishes are so numerous at times as to be a nuisance. 

Scallops apparently are to be found over a wide range of territory, and in some 
places probably form beds thickly enough populated to warrant fishing, though 
the depth in which they lie may militate against taking them commercially. 

In conclusion, the harbor and market facilities, bait supplies, transportation, and 
cold storage are perhaps too limited and uncertain to enable any of the Oregon coast 
ports to become fishing centers of any great consequence under present conditions. 
The limitation of the fishing season by weather conditions is possibly the greatest 
handicap in competition with Seattle and its proximity to the vast, year-round Alaska 
fishery resources. No doubt the Newport Bank will provide a valuable addition 
to the available supply of halibut, and the greater part of the Oregon coastal region 
will furnish a future source of supply of flounders, sole, black cod, and red rockfish, 
which at present find but a limited market, if any. 

THE INVESTIGATION OF 1915. 

On July 6, 1915, the steamer Albatross left Sausalito, Cal., for 
Seattle to pick up the fishermen and to obtain necessary supplies 
and gear. On July 9 a series of soundings was made immediately 
west of the mouth of the Columbia River. These soundings dis- 
closed the presence of a gully 150 fathoms deeper than the inclosing 
ridges, 12 miles long by 4 miles wide, extending westward from a 
point approximately 12 miles offshore. The northern ridge of this 
gully was definitely located, and although no good halibut bottom 
was found, there probably exist small areas along the edge of the 
ridge where halibut may be taken. 

On July 20 operations were begun at a point west of Grays Harbor. 
The work was continued in a northerly direction to the edge of 
Flattery Bank, the soundings, with few exceptions, being confined 
to the edge of the continental shelf. The method of work was to 
run lines of soundings between the 70 or 80 fathom curve and a 
depth at which fishing would be impractical. These fines were run 
several miles apart. It was demonstrated that there are many 
small patches of good halibut bottom scattered through this region, 
no less than 14 being located on this trip. Owing to the small size 
of these areas of good bottom, they probably hold the fish for only 
a short time. Four fishing trials were made, the results of which 
are discussed elsewhere in this report. 



COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON. 9 

Between August 9 and 19 a search was made for possible offshore 
banks. The first line of soundings began at the edge of the conti- 
nental shelf west of Destruction Island and extended westward a 
distance of approximately 300 miles. Three other lines of sound- 
ings were run north of the first one, parallel with it and about 20 
miles apart. Soundings were made to a depth of 500 fathoms at 
5-mile intervals, and every fifth sounding was extended to the bot- 
tom. No bank was found which could be fished upon, but a sub- 
marine elevation was located whose summit lies at a depth of only 
525 fathoms. This has been named "Gibson Bank," in honor of 
Mr. John Gibson, manager, Fishing Vessel Owners' Association of 
Seattle. 

Between September 2 and 11 sounding operations were resumed 
along the 100-fathom line west of Grays Harbor, which work was 
extended southward as far as Cascade Head, the same methods being 
used as in the work in July. Very few patches of favorable bottom 
were found. 

As the halibut fishermen have repeatedly expressed their willing- 
ness to make fishing trials, provided they knew the location, depth, 
character of the bottom, etc., of a bank, the work of this cruise was 
confined to determining the location of new or unknown banks rather 
than to the determination of the fishing value of any bank. 

CHARACTER AND TOPOGRAPHY OF THE BOTTOM. 

The region covered by this investigation is confined, for the most 
part, to a narrow strip lying along the edge of the continental shelf 
in the vicinity of the 100-fathom curve. This course was decided 
upon in view of the limited time at the disposal of the survey, and 
the probability that a coarse or rocky bottom would be found where- 
ever a ridge or a rapid change in depth exists. 

The data collected have been entered upon five Coast and Geodetic 
Survey charts which include the coast line from Cape Flattery to 
Coos Bay. The charts, as reproduced, are sections of the origi- 
nals: Chart 1 is a section of Coast and Geodetic Survey chart No. 
U, including Cape Flattery. Chart 2, Cape Flattery to Grays Harbor, 
is a section of Coast and Geodetic Survey chart No. 6400; Chart 3, 
Willapa Bay to Cascade Head, is compiled from sections of Coast and 
Geodetic Survey charts No. 6000 and 6100; Chart 4, Cape Foul- 
weather to Coos Bay, comprises section of Coast and Geodetic Survey 
charts No. 5900 and 6000. 

The 100, 50, and 20 fathom contour lines have been corrected or 
extended to conform with the soundings made at this time. All 
depths over 30 fathoms are indicated, the center of the figure being 
the spot where the sounding was made. The character of the bot- 
tom is noted near the sounding at which it was obtained. Favorable 



10 SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 

patches of good halibut bottom are located by dotted lines and 
numbered with Roman numerals. In Chart 3, Willapa Bay to 
Cascade Head, one reported halibut fishing ground which was not 
found by the Albatross is indicated by a different style of dotted 
lines. 

In taking up the discussion of the character and topography of the 
bottom the region investigated during 1915 falls naturally into four 
sections and that investigated during 1914 into three, viz: (a) Flattery 
section, in which four lines of soundings were made from the edge of 
the continental shelf extending seaward 300 miles; (b) Grays Harbor 
section, reaching south from the edge of Flattery Bank to Grays 
Harbor; (c) Columbia River section, which takes in the area off the 
Columbia River and south to Tillamook Bay, where (d) Tillamook 
section begins; this runs south to Cascade Head; (e) Newport sec- 
tion; (/) Heceta Bank section; and (g) Coos Bay section. The last 
three were covered by the 1914 investigation. 

Flattery section. — Extending 50 miles west of Cape Flattery, the 
continental shelf contains numerous outcroppings of rocky ledges and 
patches of pebbles and gravel. At the western edge the bottom, 
which drops to a depth of 1,000 fathoms in a distance of 25 miles, 
is composed largely of gray sand changing to green or gray mud as 
the depth increases. On the first line of soundings this green mud 
persists for over 100 miles, beyond which it is replaced by a brown 
ooze. On the other three lines the brown ooze is found inshore to 
the 1,000-fathom line. Only at one sounding was Globigerina ooze 
found, although the calcareous remains of Foraminifera were present 
in nearly every sample of the bottom. At one station the mud 
appeared nearly black, while at one other a sample of yellow mud 
was obtained. 

Lying 279 miles west-southwest (S. 66° W. true) from Cape Flat- 
tery, Gibson Bank was discovered with a surrounding depth of over 
1,500 fathoms. It was first located at a depth of 635 fathoms, and 
at an interval of 2 miles the minimum depth of 525 fathoms was 
obtained. Two miles farther the depth increased to 830 fathoms 
and after a run of 25 miles to 1,600 fathoms. A series of soundings 
were made around the 525-fathom depth with the result that no 
bottom was found at 700 fathoms. From all indications Gibson 
Bank is an isolated submarine peak with a summit less than 2 miles 
in diameter. The same brown ooze which predominates over this sec- 
tion outside the 1,000-fathom curve is found covering Gibson Bank. 
Specimens of Foraminifera (Globigerina) are present, but not in suf- 
ficient numbers to warrant characterizing the bottom as Globigerina 
ooze. The discovery of this bank adds strength to the rumors of 
shoal water lying off Cape Flattery and off Cape Scott, the northern 



COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON. H 

end of Vancouver Island, and it is possible that a bank or banks of 
greater or less extent exist off the northwest coast. 

Grays Harbor section. — Good halibut bottom should be found in this 
region, although soundings at this time failed to indicate such a place. 
The following paragraph is taken from the report on the 1914 survey: a 

Off Grays Harbor the continental shelf, which here attains a width of 25 to 30 
miles, is covered from shore outward to between the 40 and 50 fathom curves with 
fine gray sand, and beyond that line out into deep water is composed almost uni- 
formly of green mud. An outcrop of shale was found on one sounding about 25 
miles west of Point Chehalis. In the vicinity of Chehalis Bank, reported by Capt. 
Tanner, the soundings increased regularly in depth offshore, and showed nothing 
but green mud from the 46-fathom mark to a depth of 64 fathoms and doubtless 
beyond that. To the northward of this reported bank, and between 10 and 15 miles 
offshore, a patch of gravel bottom was found in 38 to 40 fathoms. 

The patch of gravel mentioned in the latter part of the above 
extract was relocated during the present investigation and found to 
be at least 6 miles in diameter. Between this and the 100-fathom 
line the bottom was found to be composed of fine gray sand or of 
green mud. 

An extensive ledge of hard and granular shale lies along the 100- 
fathom line 31 miles west of Point Chehalis. In the same locality 
an outcrop of hard, rocky shale covered the bottom at a sounding 
of 279 fathoms. 

From 35 to 40 miles northwest of Point Chehalis the bottom is 
very irregular, dropping from 77 fathoms in depth to over 200 fathoms 
within a distance of a mile. The depths on a line of soundings at 
1-mile intervals proved to be -tf^, 115, 110, y^, -^trf, and 77 fathoms. 6 

With the exception of the spots tabulated below, the bottom was 
found to be composed mainly of green mud or of gray or black sand 
of varying degrees of coarseness. At one sounding, 37 miles north- 
west of Grays Harbor, a sample of fine white sand with a few black 
specks was obtained. 

There were located in this section 14 patches of good or favorable 
halibut bottom. In fact, good bottom may be found everywhere 
along the 100-fathom fine between the depths of 90 and 115 fathoms. 
Perhaps the most promising locality is at the northern limit of opera- 
tions along the southeast ridge of the deep channel which separates 
Flattery Bank from the coast of Washington. The bottom here is 
of coarse gravel, rocks, and coarse sand. A tabulated list of the 
most favorable bottoms follows, with location and the character of 
the bottom : 

a Survey of the fishing grounds on the coasts of Washington and Oregon in 1914. Bureau of Fisheries 
document no. 817, p. 13. 
6 The character — means no bottom found at the depth indicated. 



12 SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 

Table 1. — Good Halibut Bottoms in Grays Harbor Section. 



No.« 


Bearings. 


Distance. 


( haraeter of bottom.^ 


Approxi- 
mate 
area. 


1 
o 


WSW. | S. (S. 60° W.) from Umatilla 

Lightsliip. 
SSW. (S. 22° W.) from Umatilla 

Lightship. 
SSW. $ S. (S. 18° W.) from Umatilla 

Lightship. 
S. by W. (S. 12° W.) from Umatilla 

Lightship. 
S. h W. (S. 4° W.) from Umatilla 

Lightship. 
NW. by W. (N. 54° W.) from Grays 

Harbor I ight. 
WNW. (N. 65° W.) from Grays 

Harbor Light. 
WNW. (N. 68° W.) from Grays 

Harbor Light. 
WNW. \ W. (N. 73° W.) from Grays 

Harbor 1 ight. 
WNW. J W. (N. 75° W.) from Grays 

Harbor Light. 
W. by N. (N. 80° W.) from Grays 

Harbor Light. 
NW. (N. 46° W.) from Grays Harbor 

Light. 
WNW. (N. 65° W.) from Grays 

Harbor Light. 
W. by S. \ W. (S. 83° W.) from Grays 

Harbor Light. 


Miles. 
21 

25 

31 

37 

39 

37 

39 

35 

37 

34 

33 

22 

16 

31 


G; crs bk S; crs and fne gy S; R; gn 
M. 


Sq. miles. 
18 

1 




G; fne bk S 


1 


1 


G ; bk S; Sh; gy S; gn M 


16 




G; crs bk S 


1 


6 




1 


7 




3 


S 
9 
10 


G ; Sh; fne gy S; gn M; crs and fne bk 

S. 
G ; crs bk S ; fne gyS;gn Shale . , 

G; bl M; crs bk S; fne gy S 


3 
1 
1 


11 




3 


12 




1 


13 


crs G 


40 


14 


G; crs bk S; fne gy S; gran Shalo 


16 



« Numbers refer to areas on chart 2. 

t> Abbreviations descriptive of the bottom: G, gravel; crs, coarse; bk, black; S, sand; fne, fine; gy, gray; 
R, rock; gn, green; M, mud; gran, gramdar; Sh, shell; bl, blue. 

Columbia River section. — This section includes the region from 
Willapa Bay to Tillamook Bay. Off Willapa Bay a uniform bottom 
of fine gray sand predominates out to the 100-fathom line, beyond 
which there are occasionally found small areas of coarse black sand, 
blue mud or shale, and in one instance granular shale. Granular 
shale appears as a pseudogravel, but the nodules can be easily 
pressed together in the hands. 

Twelve miles west of Cape Disappointment is the eastern end of a 
long, narrow gully which extends to the westward approximately 12 
miles and which is 3 to 4 miles wide and 150 fathoms deeper than the 
inclosing ridges. The floor of this gully is covered with green mud, 
while the continental shelf to the north and east is regularly composed 
of fine gray sand. From the Columbia River southward the gray 
sand is replaced by green mud with a trace of gray sand which can 
not be detected until the mud is washed away. Along the south 
ridge of this gully several successful catches of halibut have been 
made during the spring of this year. Soundings here showed an 
outcrop of shale. Trials upon the north ridge would probably show 
that region to be worth fishing upon a large scale. Five outcrops of 
shale were found in this area, along the 100-fathom fine. In fact, 
each time a line of soundings crossed the 100-fathom curve, hard 
blue mud or shale was obtained. 



COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON. 



13 



In May, 1915, a halibut bank was reported as lying 16 miles nearly 
southwest from the Columbia River Lightship in 80 fathoms. That 
this is a small patch is probable, as soundings made in this locality 
failed to discover any good fishing ground. 

The report of the 1914 investigation says of the area within the 
60-fathom line: 

On the fine gray sand within the GO-fathom curve, about 9 miles south of Tilla- 
mook Rock, a small patch of shale resembling hard mud was discovered, but an attempt 
to relocate it later proved unsuccessful. Between Cape Falcon and Tillamook Bay 
coarse gray sand was found on a single sounding, in 32 fathoms. From all indications 
it is doubtful if halibut will be found here in paying quantities, although it is the most 
promising bottom found off Tillamook. * * * The bottom throughout the Tilla- 
mook section seems to be generally unfavorable for halibut, though it supports a great 
many of the smaller flatfishes and other, at present, less marketable species. 

The positions and character of bottom of the most favorable patches 
of botiom are tabulated below. It mil be seen that they are all 
small. 

Table 2. — Good Halibut Bottoms in Columbia River Section. 



No .a 



Bearings. 



Distance. 



Character of bottom. & 



Approxi- 
mate 
area. 



W. from Cape Shoahvater Light 

S. by W. (S. 9° W.) from Cape Shoal- 
water Light. 

W. by N. i W. (N. 85° W.) from 
Columbia Lightship. 

SW. h W. (S. 50° W.) from Columbia 
Lightship. 

WSW. (S. 70" W.) from Columbia 
Lightship. 

WSW. J W. (S. 73° W.) from Columbia 
Lightship. 

SW. by W. (S. 58° W.) from Columbia 
Lightship. 

W. (N. 8S° W.) from Tillamook Rock 
Light. 

W. by S. I W. (S. 87° W.) from Tilla- 
mook Rock Light. 

W. by S. h W. (S. 82° W.) from Tilla- 
mook Rock Light. 

W. by S. i W. (S. 84° W.) from Tilla- 
mook Rock Light. 

W. by S. (S. 78° W.) from Tillamook 
Rock Light. 

SW. (S. 46° W.) from Tillamook Rock 
Light. 

SW. J S. (S. 40° W.) from Tillamook 
Rock Light. 

SW. by S. (S. 64° W.) from Tillamook 
Rock Light. 



Mih s. 



gn M; Shale 

hrdblM 

bl Shale 

gn M 

blM;fne G 

bl M; gran Shale 

bl M;gran Shale 

G; gran Shale 

rky Shale 

bk S; gran Shale; rky G 

fneG 

gran Shale; bk S 

G 

Shale; hrdM 

Shale: hrd M 



Sq. miles. 
1 
3 

2-4 

Reported. 

1 

1 

1 

1 

3 

2 

1 

4 
1 
1 
2 



« Numbers refer to areas on chart 3. 

b Abbreviations descriptive of the bottom: G, gravel; gn, green; M, mud; hrd, hard; bl, blue; fne, fine; 
gran, granular; rky, rocky; S, sand; bk, black. 

Tillamook section. — Along the edge of the continental shelf in the 
northern part of this section are found the Miocene shales which 
showed in numerous outcroppings in the Columbia River and Grays 
Harbor sections. The whole of this section and south to Cape Foul- 

o Survey of the fishing grounds on the coasts of Washington and Oregon in 1914. Bureau of Fisheries 
document no. 817, p. 14. 



14 SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 

weather is barren of possible fishing grounds; only two spots were 
located. The continental shelf, 30 miles wide off Tillamook Head 
on the north narrows to 12 miles off Cape Kiwanda in the south and 
is covered throughout with green mud. 

West of Tillamook Rock, 25 to 30 miles, was discovered an area 
of gravel, coarse sand, blue mud, and granular shale. A small patch 
of gravel bottom was located 22 miles west of the mouth of Nehalem 
River. Near Cascade Head there is a patch of fine gravel hi 42 
fathoms, near which, in 1914, a good scallop catch was made. 

Newport section. — The Tillamook section marked the southern limit 
of the 1915 investigation, but for completeness a brief description of 
the Newport, Heceta Bank, and Coos Bay sections is taken from 
the report on the 1914 survey: 

Between Yaquina and Alsea Bays and about 12 miles offshore, a ridge was discov- 
ered on which 30 fathoms was the minimum sounding made by the Albatross, although 
Capt. Carrol, until recently of the Decorah, reports that he made one sounding of 20 
fathoms in this vicinity. This ridge is the outer wall of a submarine valley having, 
so far as sounded, an extreme depth of 47 fathoms, shoaling at its mouth to 42 fathoms 
and merging with the flat of the continental shelf at the 50-fathom curve. On both 
sides of the ridge, and principally at the upper end of the submarine valley formed 
by it, the late summer run of halibut, developed by this survey, was found. The 
bottom across the head of the valley and through the greater extent of its floor is of 
coarse gray sand, carrying a very rich growth of such organisms (sea anemones and 
pennatulids) as are typically found on good halibut bottom. 

Over the ridge and principally on its northwestern and southern slopes is found 
what has been designated as broken bottom — composed of materials of a mixed char- 
acter, shale, gravel, sand, and mud — in patches varying in size and composition, 
but all very rich in bottom-living organisms. On the western slope is a patch of 
coarse gray sand and another of gravel, apparently of considerable extent, though 
no great number of soundings were made there. On this patch a good lot of fish 
were taken. 

Heceta Bank section. — Similar to the ridge off Newport, but larger and in somewhat 
deeper water, there is a large, roughly triangular plateau called Heceta Bank, between 
25 and 30 miles offshore to the south westward of Heceta Head. It is composed largely 
of shale too hard for good halibut bottom, while the submarine valley formed by it 
is too soft, having a bottom of soft green mud. Several patches each of broken bot- 
tom and black sand occur both on the flat of the bank and on the offshore slopes. 
The most promising broken bottom is in the vicinity of set xi, where a lot of fish 
were taken in the spring of the year (set i). Black sand is considered good black 
cod bottom and on one patch of it (set x) a fair catch was made. 

Between Heceta Bank, Alsea Bay, and Heceta Head is a large area of fine gray 
sand which below Heceta Head is encroached upon by the green mud of the sub- 
marine valley formed by Heceta Bank. Off the mouth of the Siuslaw River is a 
small isolated patch of gravel surrounded by fine gray sand. The mud line trends 
in from the 70-fathom line toward the Umpqua River, where it reaches the 30-fathom 
curve less than 2 \ miles offshore. Another gravel patch about 7 miles below the Ump- 
qua River lies within this mud area but 6 miles from shore, and south of this the mud 
recedes until it lies beyond the 70-80-fathom line 10 miles off Coos Bay. 

Coos Bay section. — In a line between the Umpqua River and Coos Bay, three sets 
(xxvn, xxix, and xxx) were made on fine gray sand, which occurs everywhere 
in this region inshore of the mud. As developed by the above sets, this sand bottom 



COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON. 15 

seems to carry a thin surface film, of mud or else the line of demarcation between 
the two extends much nearer shore than has been shown either by the chart or by the 
soundings. 

Southward of Coos Bay, extending well toward the Coquille River, is a compara- 
tively extensive outcrop of shale, rich in bottom organisms, in which the soundings 
developed two areas of good halibut bottom, fine gravel. The soundings, together 
with the yield of set xxvih, seem to indicate that more detailed examination might 
locate areas of so-called broken bottom, which is more productive of fish than shale 
alone. a 

DISCUSSION OF THE SETS. 

On account of the fact that the fishermen of Seattle were willing 
and desirous of testing any new halibut ground if its location and 
character were given them, and because of the limited time available 
for the survey (two and one-half months), it was considered more 
practicable to make a small number of fishing trials and to spend all 
of the time in locating new banks. Consequently four practical 
fishermen were taken on the first trip and four trial sets were made. 
Two fishermen were taken on the second trip, but no halibut bank 
was discovered (the trip was offshore in deep water) and no sets 
were made. On the tliird trip no fishermen accompanied the vessel 
except the expert fishermen, who remained during the whole survey. 

Arrangements were made to carry, in the ship's refrigerator, 
enough fresh frozen bait for one trip. Fresh salmon could not be 
obtained at a reasonable price at the time bait was purchased, but 
some excellent frozen herring were secured and a reserve supply of 
salt herring was carried. Fresh salmon has been found to be a 
better halibut bait than herring, the better results warranting the 
payment of a higher price. 

An 8-line trawl, carrying about 250 hooks spaced 9 feet apart, 
"was used in the same manner as is customary among the commercial 
fishermen. The sets were all double-banked and made with two 
skates of line. The trials each lasted an hour. While the set was 
being made the surface and bottom temperatures were taken; sur- 
face and bottom water samples secured ; and tow net hauls made 
with nets of three sizes of mesh. & 

The results of the four fishing trials are shown in table 3 together 
with the locations of the sets. The bearings are given as a fisher- 
man would give them. 

Set /.—On July 21, SW. by W. | W. (magnetic) 19.1 miles 
from Destruction Island, a bottom of gravel and coarse black sand 
was found in 88 fathoms. A set of one hour resulted in five halibut, 
weighing 22, 32, 44, 48, and 50 pounds, respectively, all being first- 
class fish. The 50-pound fish was a male and the rest females. A 
blue shark 83 inches long and weighing 64 pounds and one cultus 
cod 42 inches long were caught. Black cod were abundant (44 taken) 

a Survey of the fishing grounds on the costs of Washington and Oregon in 1914. Bureau of Fisheries 
document no. 817, p. 14. 
& No. 000 grit gauze: no. 12 and 20 bolting silk. 



16 



SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 



and red rock cod numerous, 29 being taken on the trawl. Dogfish 
and blue sharks occurred in moderate numbers. 

Set II.— On July 21, W. by S. f W. 21.8 miles from Destruction 
Island, a bottom of gravel, gray and black sand, shells, and green 
mud were found. The next day the spot was located and a trial 
made in 101 fathoms. Eight halibut were taken, two being males 
weighing 46 and 26 pounds. As in sets i and in the largest halibut 
proved to be males, although in the four sets 14 females and 4 males 
were taken. Black cod were exceptionally numerous and of a large 
size, 71 being caught, 1 of which weighed 36 pounds. In this set 20 
dogfish and 19 blue sharks were secured. A small stone covered 
with worm casts, sponges, etc., was brought up on the trawl. 

Set III. — Too late to make a set on July 23, a patch of good halibut 
bottom was found in 99 to 124 fathoms W. by S. \ W. 31 miles from 
Grays Harbor Light. On July 24 a set was made on the edge of this 
patch in 98 fathoms where the sounding lead showed as fine green 
sand. The offshore ends of the two trawls evidently fell on a gravel 
bottom, because both of them brought up small stones the size of 
ducks' eggs and covered with organic remains. But 2 halibut were 
obtained on this set, 1 on each trawl, weighing 22 and 24 pounds, 
respectively, the latter being a male. A number of other fish, 21 
black cod (9 young), 7 blue sharks, 2 dogfish, 3 arrow-toothed halibut, 
and 1 flounder, were caught. 

Set IV. — On July 22 good bottom of gravel and coarse sand, 
together with a little green mud, was found on the southern ridge of 
the deep channel which separates Flattery Bank from Capo Flattery. 
A set was made on this ridge on July 27, SW. by W. 20.7 miles from 
Umatilla Lightship. Three halibut were secured weighing 94, 55, 
and 30 pounds, all females. About 150 black cod weighing 40 to 50 
pounds, 10 dogfish, and 8 blue sharks were caught. The black cod, 
according to the fishermen, were the largest and most numerous they 
had ever seen. Only one trawl could be hauled in; the other was 
bitten off at both ends by sharks as soon as the haul in was started. 
Many of the black cod were cut in two by the sharks, numbers of 
which continually swam around the ship at the surface of the water. 
From the number of birds (''black hags," gulls, etc.), whales, and 
sharks, the proximity of good feeding grounds was plainly evident. 

Table 3. — Locations and Results of Halibut Fishing Trials Off the Coasts 
of Washington and Oregon by the Steamer ''Albatross," 1915. 



Se1 
No. 


Position. ( All bearings magnetic. 1 


Dale. 


Depth. 


Character ofbottom. 


I 
11 
111 
IV 


SW. by W. JW. (magnetic) distanl 19. 1 miles 
from Destruction Island. 

W. by S. J W. distant 21.8 miles from Destruc- 
tion Island. 

W. by S. h W. distant 31 miles from Grays Har- 
bor Light. 

SW. by W. distant 20.7 miles from Umatilla 
Lightship. 


1915. 
July 21 

July 22 

Julj 24 

July 27 


Frns. 
88 

101 

98 

85 


Gravel, coarse black sand. 

Gravel, green mini, line graj 

sand. 
Fine green sani 1 

Gravel, fine ami coarse gray 
sand. 



COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON. 



17 



Table 3. — Locations and Results op Halibut Fishing Trials Off the Coasts of 
Washington and Oregon by the Steamer "Albatross," 1915 — Continued. 





Number 

of skates 

of gear 

used. 


Duration 

of set. 


Bait. 


Fish taken (catch). 




Set 


Halibut (Hippoglossus). 


No. 


Number 
taken. 


Range 
of size. 


Total 
weight. 


Average 

weigh! . 


First 

class 
(between 
11 and 80 

lbs.). 


Average 
weight 
of first 
class. 


I 

II 
III 
IV 


2 

2 
2 
2 


Hours. 
1 

1 
1 

1 


Live herring, 
frozen. 

do 

do 

do 


5 

8 
2 
3 


Inches. 
22-50 

10-46 
22-24 
30-94 


Pounds. 
196 

225 
46 
179 


Pounds. 
39.2 

28.1 
23.0 
59.7 


5 

7 
2 
3 


Pounds. 
39.2 

30.7 
23.0 
59.7 





Fish taken (catch) — Continued. 




Set 
No. 


3 

C3 
fl 
O* . 

a 

CO 

cd 

60 

o 

ft 


co 

o 

a 

_o 
'C 

03.2 

CO 
CD 

a 

S 


o 

o 

.3 

03^. 

'oFS 

s 

03 

M 

02 


o3 

s| 

ft 

O o 

B§ 

c3 ft 
M S 

P5 


03 

« DO 

O --. 

o ® 
o w 


03 

a 

o 
ft 
o 

!l 

si 

ottf 
o 

_o3 

s 


a 
o 

o 

3 . 

ft^- 
2J 

03 

o a 

UO 
*CD 

3 

13 
o 


i 

03 

■a 

03 
CD 

ft 
O 

W 

CD 

"o 

OQ 


to 

CD CO 

53 3 
®.° 
ft to 

CD ^3 

|a 

o 


+3 

Scl 

" o 
t) ■» 

s s 

~.o: 

o « 

°S 
i t-> 

t> CD 

p -^ 

t< 


Addenda. 


1 


7 
20 

2 
10 



19 

8 


1 


1 
l 


29 
1 


44 

71 

21 

150 


l 
l 








Double-banked set; 4 females, 1 


11 
III 


] 


i 


2 
3 


male halibut; 1 blue shark 83 
in. long, 64 lbs.; 1 cultus cod, 
42 in. long. 

Double-banked set; 6 females, 2 
males; 1 black cod, 36 lbs.; 1 
small stone with worm casts, 
sponges, etc., attached. 

Double-banked set; 1 female, 1 


IV 












male; a large sea anemone; 3 
rocks, size of duck's egg, cov- 
ered with orgnaic remains. 
All females; many black cod ex- 


















ceptionally large (40-50 lbs.); 
many indications of a good hali- 
but bank; birds dipping over 
water, many sharks, whales, 
etc., 1 line bit off at both ends 
by sharks and lost. 



YIELD OF THE BANKS. 

On July 25, while at anchor off Grays Harbor buoy, handlines were 
used for about an hour and a half and 150 hake (Merluccius produc- 
tus), 2 dogfish, 1 rockfish (Sebastodes pinniger), and 3 "sole" (Eop- 
setta jordani) were caught. The hake proved unpalatable, the flesh 
being watery and tasteless. 

Food of the halibut. — Just over the edge of the continental shelf, 
where the water rapidly deepens, will be found many strips of gravel, 
rocky or broken bottom. It is on these patches that halibut are 
found. Many of the fishermen think that there is a seepage of fresh 
water which carries away the mud and fine sand and which attracts 



18 SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 

the bait and the halibut themselves. On such a bottom will be found 
growing sea anemones, pennatulids, crabs, starfish, and other organ- 
isms which form part of the food of the halibut. 
Mr. Thompson a says of the food of the halibut: 

The food of the halibut is well known to exhibit great variety, but the data recently 
collected indicate that it differs Avidely on different banks and may be quite limited 
in any given locality. The range of food has been found to include crabs, sea-anem- 
ones, starfish, sand-lance (Ammodytes personatus), dogfish (Squalus sucklii), ratfish 
(Chimsera) (Hydrolagus) (colliei), Cyclogasterids (of determined species), the arrow- 
toothed halibut (Atherestes stomias), octopi, gray cod (Gadus macrocephalus) , salmon 
(Oncorhynchus kisutch), and even occasional red cod (Sebastodes). It is here deserving 
of remark that the crabs and the gray cod form the vast bulk of the food on many 
banks, while on at least one the halibut used mainly the sand-lance. The crabs and 
sand-lance were eaten by halibut of small size generally in shallower line. Thus, in 
90 fathoms off Middleton Island, of 130 stomachs, 59 per cent were empty, 39 per cent 
had gray cod, 2 per cent had crabs and the arrow-toothed halibut. * * * Usually 
but a single kind of food was found identifiable in a single stomach, although this was 
far from being a rule. A large quantity of the particular kind of food is usually found, 
indicating that the halibut has not moved so rapidly as to leave the type of bottom 
on which it was found before the food caught was digested. The presence of small 
worms serves to indicate the capacity the halibut has for picking up minute foods. 

The problem of the mushy halibut is one that must be solved in 
the near future. As much as 50 per cent of the fish, when delivered 
at the market, have been found to be mushy and, hence, unsalable. 
At the time they are caught the affected fish can not be separated 
from the good fish, but after being on ice for some time the meat 
becomes soft and can easily be shaken from the bones. 

There are two kinds of mushiness — milky halibut and white-meated 
halibut. In the former case (milky) the meat will become soft and 
falls away from the skin and bones. In the latter variety (white- 
meated) there will bo found running through the white flesh what 
might be called lean meat. When culling fish a small gash is made 
in the tail whereby the condition of the meat is made apparent. 
Sometimes only part of the fish is mushy; the tail may be mushy 
and the body good, and again the reverse may be true. As to the 
cause of this condition of the halibut, nothing but theories has been 
advanced up to the present. The Bureau has the matter under 
investigation. 

In addition to the halibut, black cod (Anoplopoma fimbria) was 
found to be abundant at all points between Grays Harbor and Flat- 
tery Bank. Near Flattery Bank exceptionally large ones occurred 
in great abundance. The survey of 1914 reported that, from all indi- 
cations, black cod could be fished in the deep water just off the south- 
ern and western slopes of Heceta Bank. Fresh black cod is a good 
table fish and in some places it is considered a delicacy. 

« A preliminary report on the life history of the halibut. Eeport of the Commissioner of Fisheries for the 
Province of British Columbia, for the year ending December, 1914; also a Progress Report in the Canadian 
Fisherman for December, 1915. 



COASTS OF WASHINGTON AND OREGON. 



19 



The rock cods or rockfishes occur abundantly over the whole region 
surveyed in 1914 and 1915. The halibut fishermen do not take these 
fish, of which there are many species, but small local boats take and 
market them. 

At San Francisco several companies carry on large fishing opera- 
tions for flounders and sole, but farther north the interest lies with 
salmon, halibut, etc. While making dredge hauls for scallops during 
1914, flounders were taken in great quantities and to all appearances 
were in greater abundance than off San Francisco Bay. This should 
prove a profitable industry if properly taken up. 

During the latter part of June and the first half of May practically 
the whole of the Seattle fishing fleet were fishing off the Columbia 
River. It is reported that 2,000,000 pounds of halibut were taken 
at that place. From 50 to 60 boats could be seen at one time fishing 
mi an area not over 2 miles square. Prince Rupert and Vancouver 
boats also visited this bank. As the percentage of mushy fish in- 
creased from a nominal percentage at first to 50 per cent of the catch, 
the fleet moved north to Hecate Strait and landed its fares at Prince 
Rupert. 

But three schooners have fished south of Cape Flattery since that 
time: The America took 40,000 pounds, 50 per cent of which were 
mushy; the Daisy landed at Prince Rupert a fare of 20,000 pounds, 
the percentage of mushy fish was not reported; and the Mary took 
5,000 pounds early in September, reporting that there were not nearly 
the number of fish on the Newport Bank as there were in 1914. The 
Daisy reported that there were "quite a few fish off Newport." 

In the accompanying table a comparison is made of the amount of 
fish taken from the banks off the coasts of Washington and Oregon 
during the years 1914 and 1915. There are no records available for 
May, 1915, or October, November, and December, 1914. 

Table 4. — Quantity and Value of Halibut Caught by the Commercial 
Fishermen Off the Coasts of Washington and Oregon during the 
Seasons of 1914 and 1915. 



Month. 



May 

June 

July 

August 

September . 

October 

November. 
December. . 

Total 



Number 
of trips. 



(a) 

(a) 



Catch. 



Pounds. 
18,200 
22, 800 
J 19, 500 

i.m>,,m)0 

271,000 
(a) 
(a) 
(a) 



Value. 



$683. 00 

684.00 
5,098.7.', 
6,925.50 
10, 255. 00 

(a) 

(a) 

(a 



618,300 23,646.25 



Number 
of trips. 



(a) 



Catch. 



1 'mi nth. 

(a) 

1,620,000 

13,000 

5, 200 

38, 000 

1,930 



5,000 



Value. 



(«) 

8S5.511.50 

937. 50 

285. 50 

2,037.00 

135. 10 



375. 00 



1,683,130 89,281.60 



a The returns for the months of October, November, and December, 1914, and May, 1915, are not available 
but they are probably small. 



20 SURVEY OF FISHING GROUNDS, 1915. 

SUMMARY. 

Along the edge of the continental shelf, in depths from 80 or 90 to 
120 fathoms, good or favorable halibut bottom is found in many 
small patches. Between Grays Harbor and Flattery Bank these 
patches are more numerous than in the region south of the Columbia 
River. South of Tillamook Bay there are very few spots of good 
bottom. These patches do not hold the schools of fish for any length 
of time, and the largest of them can oe cleared of halibut in a few 
trips by the fishing fleet. 

In the region under consideration the schools of halibut appear to 
arrive at the banks from a westerly or northwesterly direction, and 
this, taken into consideration with the rumors of shoal water off- 
shore, would seem to indicate the possible presence of banks farther 
out to sea than any now known. The discovery of Gibson Bank 
would seem to lend support to such a belief. It is desirable that a 
thorough survey be made. 

Black cod occur in great numbers along the coast of Washington 
and should support a large fishery if a demand can be created for this 
species. Rock cod should also be marketed. Dogfish occur in large 
numbers and might be utilized as fertilizer. The smaller flatfishes, 
flounders, sole, sand dab, etc., are also found in great abundance. 

EXPLANATION OF CHARTS. 

The charts accompanying this report are sections of those issued by 
the Coast and Geodetic Survey, to which have been added all the sound- 
ings made by the steamer Albatross in the years 1914 and 1915. Near 
the figures representing the depths obtained, and near many of those 
contained in the original chart, have been entered the bottom char- 
acterizations for that locality. The positions of these soundings are 
accurate, as in most of the cases at the time of sounding land was in 
sight from which bearings could be secured. All doubtful figures 
have been discarded. 

As little or no fishing is done inside the 30-f athom curve, the depths 
and bottom characterizations have been omitted from between that 
curve and the shore. The 10, 20, 30, 50, and 100 fathom contour 
lines are included after being changed to conform with the soundings 
made in this investigation. The lighthouses and other positions on 
shore from which bearings were taken have been indicated. 

Areas of bottom favorable for halibut are inclosed by heavy dashes 
and numbered with Roman numerals. Tables 1 and 2 contain the 
information pertaining to these areas. The character— means that 
no bottom was found at the depth indicated. A table for abbrevia- 
tions used is shown on each chart. 

o 



U. S. B. F.— Doc. 835. 



Chart 1. 




It 




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